New homes in Bromham could put an activity centre of “national importance” at risk if the plans go ahead, a local youth leader has said.
David Heard, representing Bedfordshire Scouts, and also as the chair of the Leslie Sell Activity Centre, explained to Bromham Parish Council this week (Tuesday, July 2) the reasons why the planning application should be refused.
“We’re fearful if the development goes ahead that it will seriously affect how [the Leslie Sell Activity Centre] operates,” he said. “Bedfordshire Scouts are the largest owner of land adjacent to this [proposed] development.
“And [the applicants] still don’t really acknowledge that. We’re just an afterthought in their process of trying to get planning. It’s not necessarily housing, it’s just housing close to an operational scout campsite is a real problem.
“This is born out of experience from other sites where people move into the [new] houses and they immediately complain about what’s going on. And it’s been there for the last 60 years,” he said.
Mr Heard said the centre is not only used by scouts – young people from throughout Bedfordshire, and nationally, take part in activities and camping.
“We have over 10,000 young people visiting this site every year,” he said. “So fundamentally, this is a big issue for us.
“We’ve got camps with 600 to 800 people, we’re not going to be able to keep that noise down at night and then [from sometimes before 4am] in the morning.
“There were five reasons given for refusal back in 2017, it’s essentially the same site. The number of houses have dropped but the reasons for refusal the last time out haven’t changed.”
The parish council voted to submit an objection to planners at Bedford Borough Council.
A parish council can not determine a planning application, these decisions are made by the planning officers using delegated powers or by the planning committee made up of borough councillors.
Kler, the applicants, were approached for a comment but did not reply at the time of publication.
by John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
